Medical Waiver for Distal/5Ulcerative Colitis

February 14th, 2014, 05:39 PM

Ladies & gents,

(I'm unsure if I'm required to post an introduction in this forum, so please correct me if I've made a mistake.)

I'm currently in the Army NG waiver process for the illness mentioned in the title of this thread. I was diagnosed in the summer of 2012 after having graduated from Marine Corps Officer Candidate School the previous year. The Marine Corps gave me an entry-level separation after my diagnosis and I've been medication/symptom free ever since August of 2012. I have every bit of documentation possible and have letters from two doctors (family/primary & my G.I. specialist who diagnosed me) stating that I'm in exceptional physical health with no medication or symptoms since August of 2012. I'm in outstanding physical shape (routinely run 5+ miles/half marathons/lap swim/weight lift daily) and even just graduated at the top of my class from a 16 week M-F Police Academy that was 13 hours a day and run by three retired Army Drill Sergeants. I scored an 88 on the ASVAB and a 157 on the personality test (my GT score was a 125). I have a Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice and I'm enlisting for 11B. I know for a fact that this condition is NOT an automatic disqualifier. I have even spoken with the head of MEPSCOM via email and she said that it essentially just comes down to having the right paperwork.

Anyway, my paperwork was submitted to MEPS and they're "requesting a waiver for me to physical". I'm told that if the physical goes well, the Doc will either grant me a waiver, or deny me completely. My questions are:

1. How likely am I to get a waiver for this right now? I just want a realistic answer.

2. Is there any way I can meet with someone or send letters of recommendation to or plead my case with at all? I find it very frustrating that someone who would be a perfect candidate for military service and is so entirely committed to doing so would be turned away because of a diagnosis that could very well have been anything (If you know anything about colitis, you know that Dr.'s really don't have a clue about it.)

3. If my waiver were to get approved, can that waiver be used for any branch of service, active duty/guard/ or reserves? Or would it specifically and only be for the Army National Guard in particular?

For the answer to question number one: It all depends on the doctor at MEPS. Unfortunately I would not be able to tell you the likelihood of a waiver being approved or denied. For question number two: From all the documentation and letters you have already turned in, it would appear that you have already been very pro-active in gathering and turning in pertinent data. You could speak with your recruiter to see if he/she has any additional advice concerning more recommendation letters. For question number three: The waiver is being run specifically for the National Guard, therefor that waiver could only be used for processing in the National Guard.

Comment

Nobody on this forum could predict what the MEPS doctor would approve. You just have to hope for the best. I could never understand how someone could medically discharge from a service to then become symptom free to enter another service. Have you thought of re-entering the Marines?

Comment

With regard to your first point about switching services, I had initially assumed that the Marine Corps was out of the question since I was medically removed from the Marine Officer program to begin with. Since pursuing a route back into the military over the last year and a half, I've completed my Bachelors degree and have become a certifiable Police Officer in the state of Michigan. So, I've found the idea of being a soldier and a Police Officer very appealing in that I can serve in both capacities. I simply looked away from the Corps because my condition (whether I actually have it or not) is an automatic disqualifier for flight training (I was contracted to be a naval aviator) and I decided that I wanted to be a grunt but also assumed that the Marine Corps as a whole was no longer an option. My brother was an Army Cavalry Scout in OIF 1 and OIF 3 with 3/7 Cavalry at the tip of the 2003 Army invasion force and I know I would be just as happy being an Army grunt as I would being a Marine Corps Pilot.